Research and Development on High Resolution TDC for Space Experiments

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This research has aimed for research and development of measurement LSI for high-energy and space experiments based on our high-resolution TDC (Time-to-Digital Converter) technology. This LSI must have high reliability for temperature, shock, and radiation. The developed LSI is planned for use in BepiColombo Mercury explorer which is planned on launch in 2013.A test chip of two stages PLL (Phase Locked Loop), processed last year in TSMC CMOS 0.18um, has a fault in I/O buffer area, and not fully used for evaluation. However, a TEG (Test Element Group) chip processed in OKI 0.15 um SOI (Silicon-On-Insulator) showed good results in pixel sensor and transistor array. They are irradiated by proton beam of 10^15 (〜100Mrad) at Tohoku University Cyclotron, and revealed enough radiation hardness for space use by adjusting back gate voltage.SOI process is expected to be main stream technology for future LSI, and has good characteristics of radiation hardness, high-temperature operation, and low power. These are especially preferable in high-energy and space experiments.In addition to above results, our previous TDC chip (TMC304), which was processed in Toshiba 0.3 um CMOS, was installed in lunar explorer SELENE. We are sure it will send valuable data from the moon